If you’re planning Multi-city tours in the European continent This year, we recommend considering purchasing an Eurail Pass to rely on trains to avoid it. Think of your golden tickets to ride a seemingly endless number of trains across Europe. The Eurail Pass is a single document that allows non-European residents/citizens to travel by train in over 33 countries for approximately 155,343 miles. Travel must occur over a specified period, and the pass eliminates the need to purchase individual point-to-point tickets.
Established in 1959, the Eurail Pass can be used to board local trains, highway trains, and even night trains. In addition to the benefits of flexibility and time savings, travelling together can also save money, depending on your travel plans.
Before planning a trip to Europe, there is everything you need to know about the Eurail Pass.
Eurail vs. Interrail
Eurail is not cheaper than interrails. Their prices are exactly the same, but Eurail is for non-EU residents and citizens.
How does the Eurail pass work?
You can choose from one country’s pass that covers train travel in one country, or Eurail Global Pass, which offers unlimited train travel in 33 countries in Europe using the National Railways. Each pass type offers even more options for children (ages 4-11), young people (ages 12-27), adults (ages 28 and over), and seniors (ages 60 and over). These are available in grade 1 and second class options across all age categories.
Eurail Pass is perfect for families and is extremely cost-effective. Children under 3 years old do not need a pass at all (for traveling on an adult’s lap), and children between 4 and 11 years old are eligible for a free child pass. Up to two children can travel with one adult for free. For more information about family discounts, click here.
The pass also covers a variety of travel lengths in both one country and global paths. If you take a shorter vacation and don’t ride the train regularly, you may need a pass that covers four days in a month. For example, the global pass with unlimited trips of 3 months is perfect for long trips where you plan to cover many ground.
Eurail Passes will be sold for the number of days you plan to use. Each travel day covers only trains that wish to take a 24-hour time slot from 12:00am to 11:00pm on the same calendar day. Please note that there are exceptions if you are on a train at night. For example, if you book a train that leaves on a Monday night and arrives on a Tuesday morning, you simply use one trip (departing date) to cover that trip. However, if you choose to take another train on a Tuesday, you will need to use a different travel day on your pass.
One country, Eurail, gives the cover:
- 3 days within a month
- 4 days within a month
- 5 days within a month
- Six days within a month
- 8 days within a month
The Eurail Global path comes in two types of global paths: flexible and continuous. Flexible options include:
- 4-day trip within a month
- 5 travel days within a month
- Seven trips within a month
- 10 travel days within 2 months
- 15 travel days within 2 months
The ongoing Eurail global path is:
- 15 days in a row
- For 22 days in a row
- One month
- Two months in a row
- Three months in a row
Telling Eurail travel planners where to go will help you know which Eurail pass is the best for your vacation.
Where can I buy the Eurail Pass?
You can also purchase any type of Eurail Pass online from Eurail.com, but there are also several other sites available. Railpass and Rail Europe are both certified vendors selling Eurail Pass for roughly the same price as Eurail.com, with slightly varying premiums and service charges.
Some offer free shipping (if you need a paper pass) or special discounts and promo codes on your tickets, but we recommend checking all options before purchasing your pass to see the best deal.
You can also purchase U-Line Passes from the European Railway Bureau, but it is more expensive than ordering online in advance.
How much does the Eurail Pass cost?
These are approximately 2025 starting prices for adults’ Eurail Global Pass purchased directly through Eurail.
- 4-day pass for one month: $325 for two classes, $413 for first class
- 7-day pass within a month: $438 or $557
- 15 days passed within 2 months: $636 or $807
- Unlimited 3-month pass: $1,099 or $1,396
An unlimited two-month pass costs $950 on the second floor and the first one for $1,206, so if you’re planning on traveling for 10 weeks, check if the 3-month pass is worth gushing up.
Passes in one country are slightly more affordable and vary from country to country, but they are really just for one country and cannot be used on cross-border trains. For example, the 6-day Italian adult pass is purchased directly from Eurail and is second floor for $284, $361. However, the big warning that one country passes is that the longest pass is eight days within a month.
Eurail also groups specific regions, allowing multiple countries to be won with Benelux Pass (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg) and Scandinavian Pass (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden). Please note that Eurail does not provide one country’s pass to certain countries included in the global path, such as Switzerland, Montenegro, and Bosnia.
Is Eurail Pass worth it?
it depends. If you know you have four days of travel in a month, the Grade 2 pass costs most adults $325, or $81.25 per day. If your train needs to cost more than $81.25 a way, or if you take multiple trains in a day that will make it more than that, it’s worth buying that pass. But if you only need trains in less expensive regions to reach between cities like Amsterdam, Brussels and Marseille, it’s probably not worth it.
For those who argue that buying an Agie Jet flight for a $50 Ryanair or city-to-city jump is faster and cheaper, be aware that getting to the airport earlier for security and adding all the bag fees you pay to check your bags will speed up the train. Plus, train travel is much more sustainable and scenic.
Do I need to reserve with Eurail Pass?
In some cases, yes. Not all trains require or offer reserved seats. For example, French Ter trains only have unreserved seats (except between several destinations in Paris and Normandy). In some countries, certain types of trains require seat reservations at all times. In France, the required seating for the TGV INOUI between Paris and Nice costs $11.75 for the second class and $23 for the first class. The required seat reservations for the avenue train between Barcelona and Madrid are $11.75 for the second class and $27.50 for the first. In popular countries such as France, Spain and Italy, you will need to make a prepaid booking at an additional cost (generally 5-12 euros) especially in the summer, even if the fare is included in the Eurail Pass.
In addition to these popular destinations, all night trains across Europe and most international highway trains require supplemental booking fees. You’ll also need some scenic trains, such as the Swiss Bernina Express. Check the route you want on the Eurail timetable to see if you need to book.
Booking fees vary between countries and train services and must be paid directly to the railway airline. At the station, you can pay online, through the National Railway Company website, via the telephone or via the Eurail Railway Planner app. Eurail recommends booking your train two months in advance during the summer. Please note that if you are traveling with your child and need a guaranteed seat for a child under the age of 3, you will need to purchase a regular child pass.
Alternatively, you can choose to ride an area train that does not require seat reservations. If you have time to stop halfway through, you will discover charming villages that never happened if you took a highway route. To find trains that do not require a reservation, check the “No Seat Reservations” box when searching Eurail timetables.
What countries are included in the Eurail Pass cover?
Currently, there are 33 countries in Europe, with rail airlines accepting Yulerpass, including the UK, including only the UK, Scotland and Wales. Eurail Pass, one of Ireland’s countries, also covers Northern Ireland.
This is a complete list of 33 countries that Eurail currently serves. Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, England, England, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macmoor, Mac, MacNorway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey. Download the train route map.
How far in advance can I book an Eurail Pass?
You can purchase a Yuler Pass by 11 months prior to your trip, as long as you are revitalized at European stations within those 11 months. You can also pre-activate the path for a specific date when checking out on Eurail.com. Get Eurail’s extremely useful rail planner app to save and organize your paper.
What are the other benefits of having an Eurail pass?
All Eurail Pass-holders are eligible for discounts on tickets and boat tours for certain museums across the 33 country network. But one of the main perks of having an unlimited train ticket, including night trains, is that you don’t have to stay somewhere. By sleeping on the train, you can reach point A from point B, while also saving money at the hotel. It’s even more fun.
Eurail Pass is not just for use on trains. These can also be used on ferries and public transport in some countries. See the full list of participating trains, ferries, and public transport companies. For example, the Greek Islands Pass offers ferry services to 46 islands, making it a viable option for island hopping.
This article was originally published in 2019 and recently updated on July 2, 2025, with current information. Sophie Friedman contributed to reporting this story.
